The Hero's Weakness
by Jacthine
Summary: "Alfred had always put on a mask, no one else able to see through it, not even Eirik. So when he finally saw what happened behind closed doors, he's more than surprised to see what lie under Alfred's hero complex." A norame thing I did for a friend. Ye


**AN: **A friend requested that I do a norame fic with the quote "Don't listen to them. Don't you EVER listen to them." So yeah. Here's a quick little thing (that turned out to be a little over 4000 words oh gosh) I did for them

* * *

Eirik never really did know why Alfred insisted they visit his family. If it were up to the Norwegian, he would have gladly spent their holidays alone, sitting together on their _own _couch in front of their _own_ fireplace with soft music playing, warming each other up in the best way possible. It would've been perfect, a great way to spend the last few days before the holidays rolled around…

But, like the insanely excitable puppy he really was, Alfred had somehow convinced him that spending a few days with his family was the way to go. How he had done so, Eirik didn't know or remember (probably something to do with those pestering yet amazingly adorable eyes he had), but it happened, and to say the days following their leave was hell would be an absolute understatement.

The holidays were always hectic, as was the norm for any family, but the holidays with Alfred's family was an ultimate monstrosity. The first thing that had happened the moment they stepped through the snowy doorway was get nearly tackled by a giant dog, or as Eirik liked to call it, a baby polar bear. Thankfully, they were kept safe by Alfred's brother - _Matthew_, he recalled - holding it back and apologizing profusely. Alfred had laughed afterwards, of course, but Eirik made sure to keep a look out for the terrifying beast that had somehow been registered as a dog.

The day went on to grow even more disturbing and eventful, filled with burned and inedible food courtesy of Alfred's father, Matthew's wife having an hour-long panic attack when she dropped a plate, and a drinking contest between Alfred and Ivan, Matthew's brother-in-law, which only resulted in them both getting smashed and fighting outside in the snow.

The day ended in blood and two passed out, grown men; one on the couch being fussed over by both his sisters and Eirik having to make sure Alfred didn't bleed out in their own guest room. A night of cuddling with his boyfriend was wasted by the smell of pure alcohol on Alfred, Eirik forcing him to sleep on the ground while he slept on the bed, cold and pouting with no one to hold.

It was a nightmare come true, and that was only the _first day_.

Three more days passed then, all filled with mishaps and fights on more than one occasion, threats on a non-stop appearance every minute throughout the small home. Eirik wasn't surprised much, used to the behavior due to his own group of friends, but was shocked to see even sweet, caring Alfred hurt his family, both physically and verbally.

However, his worry faded every time he caught the family together and peaceful, whether it be during those childish Christmas movies Matthew and Alfred loved or when they sat down for dinner and silently thanked whoever was listening that they had a family like theirs.

It was on their last day with the family, though, that turned out to be an actual hell on earth for one particular family member.

It was almost one in the morning, and Eirik had awoken because an uncomfortable feeling. It took a few groggy moments before he realized that it was because Alfred wasn't pressed close to his back like almost every other night. It was cold in the house, extremely so, and just a blanket wasn't going to keep him warm, so with much reluctance, he got out, put on some shorts (he never did like sleeping with them on), and walked out the room to find his boyfriend.

It wasn't hard to do so. After venturing out of the room and into the hall, the sound of a soft yet harsh voice came through the walls, muffled immensely. It didn't sound like Alfred at all. No, his voice was grating, irritating to the ear along with his laugh. It gave him more headaches than Eirik could count, but that didn't mean he didn't miss it every moment Alfred wasn't speaking. His lover was up and awake somewhere, and not hearing him was causing him more worry than anything else.

Slowly following the voice in what he hoped was complete silence, Eirik began to hear more sounds. Footsteps, for one. Heavy ones. Sometimes a groan or an annoyed sigh, the steps halting just a second before starting again. He could even hear two voices after a while, the words getting clearer yet still incomprehensible. Even through all the sounds, not one of them sounded as if they belonged to Alfred, and despite knowing he was most likely worrying too much, Eirik's movements grew faster, avoiding the obstacles in the dark until he found himself near the kitchen, the light dim but on nonetheless.

Peaking around the corner of the wall, Eirik's eyes widened slightly at the scene in front of him, inching back a bit to make sure the people inside the room didn't see him, but he doubted it.

In the kitchen he found Alfred alright, but not in any way he'd seen him before. He was seated at the small table within the room, turned away from the Norwegian a bit with his back and shoulders hunched. Not being able to see very well beyond that, Eirik couldn't tell just what he was doing, but his glasses lay on the table surface, face in his hands.

The voices weren't coming from him but his father and brother, both of them glaring at Alfred as he sat and they spoke. Listening closely, Eirik tried to figure out just what they were saying, their soft voices more clear now that he was closer.

"Honestly, you're still dating that man? I thought by now you'd have a _lady_ on your arm and a baby, not to mention a job that doesn't make me want to disown you!" It was his father, the one who had been pacing around the room and making footsteps. His tone was strict and unforgiving, words crashing down on Eirik even if he wasn't the recipient of them. It took all his willpower not to barge into the room and choke the older man right then and there. Instead, he stayed put, his grip on the wall corner tightening.

Matthew, whose glare was less harsh yet still hurtful, spoke up next. "And why have you not lost any weight? You promised me last time you came up that you'd get down to at least 160 pounds, but you look like you weigh a ton! It's all that fast food you've been eating, isn't it, Al? God, I told you what that does to your body, now look at you!" Sounded as though Matthew wasn't as innocent as he spoke to be…

"Your brother is right. You're getting _fat_, Alfred." That was his father speaking and a lie, Eirik knew it was. Sure, the other had a bit of a stomach on him, with chub that he honestly found more adorable than anything, but other than that, he was all muscle. "You've been fat, you are fat, and it seems as though with your diet you'll _always be fat_! Why can't you be more like Matthew? He's the same age as you and he's done more with these past few years so far than you'll ever do with your whole life!"

Eirik knew he wasn't that strong compared to some of his friends or even Alfred, but he swore in that moment that he could feel the wood of the wall crack beneath his death grip, the words hitting him harder than he thought would and only serving to make him wish the most painful of torture on both Matthew and his father. Although, after realizing that they were still part of Alfred's family, he calmed down a bit, but not a second after he glanced at Alfred, just wondering why he was putting up with such words without one of his own.

And that's when he saw it. Shaking, trembling and the tell-tale heavy breathing that came with crying; all of them traveled through Alfred's body, the only signs he was alive at all.

Eirik had never seen Alfred cry. The other had laughed and told him that he was too strong to cry, that heroes didn't shed any tears even if they were dying. Seeing Alfred - happy, smiling, the love of his _life_ Alfred - sob so silently, all the product of his very own _family_…

It was a breaking point, and nothing was stopping Eirik from storming into the kitchen and showing the two just what he thought of their words.

It took a lot of yelling from him, something he didn't do often, just to get the surprised relatives to leave the kitchen. No doubt the other occupants of the house were woken by his voice, but that didn't matter to him. Nothing did. Not even when Alfred lifted his face from his hands, tears still falling from his eyes as he watched in fear as Eirik all but threw Matthew and his father out of the kitchen.

His own chest heaving from physical and emotional exhaustion, Eirik finally turned to his boyfriend after the two others left in a hurry, cursing softly as they did so and heading towards their own rooms. The air was thick, nearly suffocating them both as they stared at one another, one in shock and the other coming down from his rage.

Then, as if by the snap of someone's fingers, Alfred moved hastily, wiping away the tears and tracks they left, hiccuping softly and doing his absolute best not to show Eirik his face.

"Y-You should have b-been sleeping…" Even his voice was trembling, the stuttering cause the Norwegian's heart to skip a beat in the worst possible way. It was clear to see that Alfred wanted nothing more than to forget what just happened, but that wasn't happening, not when what happened made him cry.

Pulling up a chair to face Alfred, Eirik tried and failed to catch his boyfriend's eyes, frowning as the still crying American looked off towards the side and spoke again. "That was… That was nothing, p-please, I don't want to talk about it…" His voice was soft, so much unlike his regular self that it scared Eirik.

"Bullshit." He saw Alfred flinch at the curse, eyes warily glancing at Eirik before darting back to the wall. When he didn't speak, Eirik chose to open his mouth again. "What was that? Why did you let them do that to you? Why didn't you fight back?"

His tone must have been harsher than he intended, Alfred shrinking back into his chair as his lips trembled with the urge to speak. Or cry. Both options were completely possible by now, and the worry in Eirik grew to confusion on whether the man in front of him was actually the Alfred he knew and loved. Then, with a heaving and tired sigh, the other spoke.

"It's tradition," he started, keeping a tight hold of his own clothes and closing his eyes softly. "For five years they've done this every time I come up. I-I've just learned to accept it by now, it's better this way. They get all their anger out and I…" His voice trailed off, a pained expression on his face as he opened his eyes a bit. Eirik waited for him to speak, and after the eternity that made up two minutes, Alfred spoke, voice just above a whisper. "I get reminded of just how useless I am and how fat and ugly and disgu_sting and __**gross-**_!"

Eirik was never one for too much affection, finding it to be tedious at times and embarrassing any other place but home. But in that second, the least he could do was move quickly to stand at Alfred's side and envelop him in a tight hug, pressing him close to his chest despite their contrasting sizes.

"Don't say that," he said tensely, squeezing the other as much as he could and closing his eyes. "Don't you ever say that. They're wrong. You're nothing less than perfect and if they don't see that then they don't know the real you." It was a rare occurrence, even to Eirik, to hear anything of the sort to come from his own mouth, but at a time like this, it was necessary. Anything to get Alfred to see that his family didn't know what they were saying.

He felt the bigger male shaking in his arms, crying again no doubt. He couldn't tell for sure; his face was hidden in the shirt he wore. Something resembling words came from him, immensely muffled due to his sobbing and the fact that his face was buried in Eirik's chest, and it gave the Norwegian physical pains to see his boyfriend in such a state.

Pulling back a bit from the hug, Eirik took Alfred's face in both hand, feeling just how wet and warm his cheeks were from all the crying. Just touching him sent a sting to his heart, wondering with both anger and confusion why anyone could hurt the other like this.

He tried to force the American to look at him, doing all he could to catch his eyes, but once he figured out that Alfred was much more interested in staring at the floor, he sighed. Hopefully he just got the message without all the awkward eye contact.

"Don't listen to them. Don't you _ever_ listen to them. They don't see how great you are, how amazing you both look and act. If they can't see your greatness, then too bad for them, because all I see when I look at you is nothing but the love of my life." Eirik paused, feeling his own tears starting to sting his eyes. Blinking them away before Alfred got a chance to see, he took a deep breath before speaking again.

"You're stronger than them, Alfred, I know you are. You're one of the strongest people I know. Don't let their lies bring you down. You're better than them, so much better, whether you believe it or not. I love you, and I'm positive they love you too. But they're liars, and I won't sit around and watch you cry anymore. Understand?"

It wasn't normal, saying and doing things like this, but if this is what it took to make Alfred see he wasn't worthless, then he would sit in that kitchen forever and just list off everything about the other that made his heart both stop and race. Alfred was an angel from heaven; an annoying one, yes, but an angel nonetheless. Eirik wouldn't let either of them leave until he saw that.

Now that he was holding his face, Eirik could now feel the warm tears as they fell, slipping over and under his hands as he felt the muscles in Alfred's face move and twitch with every shuddering breath. He was trying not to make noise, that much Eirik could tell, and it nearly broke his heart when the other lifted his eyes after a lifetime and he saw how red they had become. It wasn't a good color on him at all, a blaring contrast to the wonderful blue of his normal eyes, and the sight only caused Eirik to swallow the lump building in his throat moments before Alfred finally spoke.

"I…" It was barely a word, yet just the sound of it - raspy and broken, not at all like the Alfred he had just talked to earlier that day - killed Eirik inside. A few seconds passed in silence as the American recollected himself, probably noticing how pathetic he sounded and trying to make it so that he sounded stronger than he actually was. It almost made Eirik smile; even when faced with something so horrible, he tried to be a hero to himself.

Alfred's eyes blinked away the tears, some disappearing and most slipping down his cheeks again. Eirik caught sight of his lips moving slightly, trying to form words that weren't there, and he almost tried talking again before a sound passed through Alfred's lips.

"I don't know what to say…" That was an understatement. "I've been told all my life that I'm fat and disgusting, that I shouldn't eat too much or else I may just break the earth next time I sit down… I used to be teased and picked on because I was smaller than everyone, and I thought that now that I'm bigger that won't happen anymore, but…"

Eirik followed his eyes as they glanced towards the door, realizing what he meant without words as Alfred looked back towards the ground. He'd seen the other laugh off insults before, even from him. He'd been called fat by his friends sometimes, if Eirik remembered correctly, but when it came from family… "It hits you harder from them, hm?"

Alfred's head moved slowly and without much movement at all, Eirik only noticing because his hands were still planted firmly on his cheeks. Sighing softly, he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the other's lips, barely even touching as he stalled there for a moment or two. Pulling back and being pleasantly surprised by the flush that had brought a pink instead of red to Alfred's cheeks, Eirik offered a small smile.

Wiping away some of the leftover tears and the tracks they had left, Eirik attempted to keep as much eye contact as he could. "I hope you believe me when I say that you're not fat or anything of the sort, because you really aren't." He leaned in again and put a soft kiss to Alfred's forehead, then under his eyes. "So please don't cry anymore. You don't look good when you do. Now, do you think you can go back to the room without thinking about those jerks you call your family?"

Like a miracle from the angel himself, Alfred let out a small laugh. Granted, it sounded tired and not at all like his usual obnoxious one, but Eirik was glad to hear one at all. Alfred chewed at his bottom lip as the rest of his tears went away. "I… Thank you, really, thank you so much."

Without another word from either of them, Alfred reached out and brought Eirik down and into his lap, arms tight around him as he nuzzled his face into the crook of the other's neck. "You're too good for me, you know that?" Eirik squirmed slightly in the hug, the hairs on his neck standing up when Alfred's warm breath tickled his neck. With his arms bent and squished between their chests, it was awkward and began to ache after a while, but it was one of the best hugs he'd ever had.

"I know," Eirik said with a sigh, closing his eyes and resting his head on Alfred's shoulder. "Now if you could please stop breaking me, that'd be great."

After realizing that his near inhuman strength was currently hurting Eirik, Alfred quickly let go with a hoarse laugh, sniffling a bit and wiping away the rest of his tears with the back of his hands as opposed to actual cloth (he never did wear a shirt to bed). "Sorry, babe. I just… I just really needed a hug."

Smiling slightly, he nodded and stood up straight over Alfred. "It's fine, as long as you're happy now. How about we go back to the room, get some sleep in before we have to leave in the morning?" Eirik had a strong feeling that they'd be exhausted when morning rolled around, not to mention it'd be awkward between the family no doubt. What Eirik wouldn't give to have the freedom to make their lives miserable.

Of course, they were still Alfred's family, so he wouldn't do that, but the offer still stood. A little magic never hurt anyone _too _severely.

The other stood up as well, shaking only a little as he took a deep breath to calm himself. Eirik reached onto the table to grab Alfred's glasses, placing them gently on his face and holding his cheeks once more.

"Remember; don't you ever believe when someone says you're fat, because you're perfect. Annoying, yes, and sometimes obnoxious, but that's the whole reason I love you in the first place, and I'm the only one whose opinion really matters. Got it?"

Another laugh came from the taller male, his hands going up to cover Eirik's as he looked into his eyes. The glasses hid some of the redness that had overtaken his eyes, thankfully, and showed off the stars that were Alfred's big baby blues. "I know, I know. Good luck telling my friends that though," he joked, sighing softly as he moved to hug Eirik once more. Head resting on the smaller's hair and thoroughly enjoying how soft it was, he smiled. "I love you to the moon and back. Thank you so much."

Glad that his face was hidden and that the other couldn't see the blush that burned with the words spoken, Eirik pouted and wrapped his arms around Alfred loosely. "I love you too. Now if we don't get out of this cold kitchen and into that bed, I will personally lock you out of the room and force you to freeze in this frigid place."

All he got in response was a sigh that sounded much more happy than before along with a movement where Alfred's arm relocated to rest on his hips. Without a word, he was lifted and let out a tiny, albeit manly squeak as he instinctively wrapped both his arms and legs around Alfred's body.

Clinging to him tightly and frowning as they started moving toward their room, Eirik just accepted his fate and rolled his eyes as he was carried, relaxing in Alfred's arms. "You need to stop doing this. Last time you did you almost knocked me out when my head hit the counter."

"Hey, I apologized and waited on you hand and foot after I did, so you can't say anything!" Alfred's voice was still painful to hear, a scratchy and raw sounding kind that struck Eirik to the very core even when he laughed that forced, terribly fake laugh. It was even more annoying than his normal one, if possible.

But at least he wasn't crying anymore. Well, as far as Eirik could tell he wasn't. Couldn't really see his face in the position he was currently in. His heartbeat seemed normal enough along with his breathing, and that was all that really mattered to Eirik.

"I can and _will _say something, and I won't stop until you truly make it up to me," he huffed, smirking a bit as he heard a comical whine come from his boyfriend. "In order to earn my forgiveness you have to allow me to be the big spoon for an entire month."

Getting closer to their room, Alfred groaned softly and pouted, hugging Eirik tighter. "No fair! You know I need to cling onto something when I sleep!" Oh, he knew well enough. Many nights and mornings spent with a giant teddy bear completely choking him with a grip to kill had proven that. It was an even bigger nightmare when he couldn't wake Alfred up.

Rolling his eyes and grateful that they finally made it to the room they were staying in and, thankfully, leaving tomorrow, Eirik pat Alfred's back. "I know, now let me down. Either you let me hold you while you sleep or else I'll never forgive you," he muttered, the weight of sleep over taking him.

Doing as he was told, Alfred laid Eirik on the bed, taking his glasses off before crawling in after him. "You're lucky I love you too much for you to be angry at me…" Eirik didn't need to see the other's face to know there was a pout on it, even as he was presented Alfred's back. Smiling, the Norwegian happily wrapped an arm around his lover's waist, pleased to find he was just as warm as ever. His own personal blanket.

"I love you, Alfred, always know that," he said, burying his face in the wonderfully soft hair the other had. Closing his eyes and pressing their bodies close together, Eirik relaxed easily, running his hand slowly across Alfred's skin. The other's own hand covered his, holding it tightly and stroking the back of it softly.

The moment went on for an eternity, a comfortable silence settling over them and only their deep breathing filling the air. Then, breaking the ice and jolting Eirik awake a bit, Alfred's soft voice made it through the silence.

"I love you, Eirik, more than you will ever know. Thank you so much for earlier. I…" He paused, and he could have sworn that in that slight second every feeling of self-doubt washed away from the other, his grip on Eirik's getting tighter almost to a point where it was painful. "I can't say it enough, thank you so much. I know I talk a lot about being a sort of hero, but the real hero here is you…"

Feeling his face flare up in a blush, Eirik nearly choked on his own spit, coughing to hide it a bit. There wasn't a chance in the world that he'd let Alfred see just how effective his cuteness was. "You're a dork, now go to sleep already." At least he could maintain his normal voice and vocabulary when faced with the adorable puppy that was Alfred F. Jones.

He both felt and heard said puppy laugh, trailing off into a sigh that Eirik was glad to hear was happy. "I know, but I'm your dork," he mumbled tiredly, yawning not a moment later.

Too exhausted to even reply, he just groaned, squeezing Alfred's middle for a fraction of a second to show that he acknowledged his words at all. The American must have gotten the message, because he scooted back into Eirik's hold, molding his larger body to fit in the small space that the other's provided.

The last night in hell had been the worst, filled with the tears Eirik never thought he'd see and more sappy words than he'd like to admit to saying, but at least Alfred was somewhat happy. That was all that mattered. Never again did he ever want to see him so sad, so broken, and Eirik would make sure of that.

It might have been a cheesy thing to say, but he loved it nonetheless. Being a hero was never something Eirik imagined himself being, yet when it was at the sake of Alfred's happiness and love, then he had no problem calling himself such. He'd save them both from the horrors that was family, and make sure nothing came from their eyes but tears of joy.

Eirik now had a responsibility to make Alfred believe him every time he said he loved him, every time he said he looked amazing or cute. It'd take time; everything like this had to take time. But with enough love and enough compliments, Eirik was positive that his role as Alfred's hero wouldn't change so long as he lived.


End file.
